Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm Cold’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gypsophila  plant named ‘Esm Cold’, characterized by its erect and strong flowering stems; early, uniform and freely flowering habit; semi-double white-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Gypsophila hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Cold’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATION

Applicant: Aloysius A. Hooijman.

Title: Gypsophila Plant Named ‘Esm Alicia’.

U.S. Plant Patent Application Filed Concurrently.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofGypsophila plant, botanically known as Gypsophila hybrida, growncommercially as a cut flower, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Esm Cold’.

The new Gypsophila is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely flowering Gypsophila cultivarswith many petals per flower and straight stems.

The new Gypsophila originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador in February, 2003 of aproprietary selection of Gypsophila hybrida identified as Line 146, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofGypsophila hybrida identified as Line 31, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The cultivar Esm Cold was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha,Ecuador.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gypsophila by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador since December, 2003, hasshown that the unique features of this new Gypsophila are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Esm Cold has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Cold’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Esm Cold’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofGypsophila:

-   -   1. Erect and strong flowering stems.    -   2. Early, uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   3. Semi-double white-colored flowers.    -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador,plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter and stronger        flowering stems than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had larger flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador,plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila and the male parent selection        differed slightly in flower color.    -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila were more freely flowering than        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Gypsophila can be compared to plants of the Gypsophilacultivar Esm Alicia, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,479. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador,plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of the cultivar EsmAlicia in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were shorter than plants of the        cultivar Esm Alicia.    -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Esm Alicia.    -   3. Flower petals of plants of the new Gypsophila were not as        luminous white in color as flower petals of plants of the        cultivar Esm Alicia.

Plants of the new Gypsophila can also be compared to plants of theGypsophila cultivar Dangypflash, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,422. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche, Pichincha,Ecuador, plants of the new Gypsophila differed from plants of thecultivar Dangypflash in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gypsophila were shorter and more narrow        than plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.    -   2. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter internodes than        plants of the cultivar Dangypflash.    -   3. Plants of the new Gypsophila had shorter leaves than plants        of the cultivar Dangypflash.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Gypsophila. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Gypsophila. The photograph on the first sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘EsmCold’. The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Esm Cold’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in El Quinche,Pichincha, Ecuador during the winter in ground beds in an outdoornursery and under conditions and practices which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial cut Gypsophila production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 11° C. to 28° C.and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 11° C. Plants were pinchedone time about four weeks after planting and were grown under longday/short day conditions. Measurements and numerical values representaverages for typical six-month old flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Gypsophila hybrida cultivar Esm Cold.-   Commercial classification: Cut flower Gypsophila.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila            hybrida identified as Line 146, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gypsophila            hybrida identified as Line 31, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 16 to 21 days at 17° C. to 25°            C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About five to six weeks at            17° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; 161C in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Perennial cut flower. Erect and strong flowering            stems; inverted triangle form. Freely flowering;            many-petalled luminous white-colored flowers arranged in            symmetrical and moderately dense compound cymes. Vigorous            growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—After pinching, about 15 flowering stems            develop per year.        -   Plant height.—About 90 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 70 cm.        -   Flowering stems.—Length: About 85 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 6.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Glabrescent. Color: 138B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous; waxy.        -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 136A. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: Between 139A and 147A; venation, 147A. Fully            expanded foliage, lower surface: 147A; venation, 143A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Symmetrical compound cymes            with numerous many-petalled white-colored flowers, flowers            rotate. Very freely flowering, about 1,300 flowers per            inflorescence. Flowers face mostly upright.        -   Flowering response.—In Ecuador, plants flower year round.            Plants begin flowering about 16 weeks after planting.        -   Post-production longevity.—As a cut flower, flowers last for            about eleven days. Flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; pleasant.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 85 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 42 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 6 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Nearly globose. Color: 157A and 197A.        -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About 62 arranged in            clusters. Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Oval            to spatulate. Apex: Truncate, emarginate or obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            waxy. Color: When opening and fully opening, upper surface:            Close to N155D; towards the base, close to 144A; color            becoming closer to 155A with development. When opening and            fully opening, lower surface: Close to N155D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About seven to ten fused to            form a cup-shaped calyx. Length: About 3.4 mm. Width: About            2.3 mm. Shape: Roughly linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When developing, upper surface: 137B. When developing, lower            surface: 137A. Fully developed, upper surface: 146A. Fully            developed, lower surface: 148A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: About 38° from vertical. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Ten.            Anther shape: Reniform to globose. Anther length: Less than            1 mm. Anther color: 155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 5.3 mm. Style length: About 4.1 mm.            Style color: Close to N155D. Stigma shape: Curved apiculate.            Stigma color: Close to N155D. Ovary color: 144C;            occasionally towards the apex, 183A. Seed/fruit: Seed and            fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Gypsophila have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Gypsophila.-   Temperature tolerance:

Plants of the new Gypsophila have been observed to tolerate temperaturesranging from about 7° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Gypsophila plant named ‘Esm Cold’ as illustratedand described.